Material working apparatus



Feb. 10, 1948. v. G. JARMAN l MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 -INVENTOR Y. G. JA PMN ATT RNE? Febyl, 1948. v. G. JARMAN MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO? YG. JA/PMN of. AT @Ney Feb. 10, 1948. v. G. JARMAN MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR KG. JAP/MAN Patented l'ea. 1794-8 UNITED" OFFICE Vincentv G: Jarman;

Western- Electric York', NifY-J,

Watchuiig", 'i J, assigno to Gompay- Incorporated, New'K aL corporatio'ni of New York Application September 23, 19314,'.SerialNol-Sl (CL3 IBIS-48 )l 1'# Claims;

Thisinventionl relates" to'nfiat'erial worlingi apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for cutting grid structuresl into given` lengths.

In the manufacture of certain types of grids forusein vacuumtubes; structure's.many times thelength'of the gri'dsto 'be produced therefrom, areformedby placing'l'engths of supporting wires in parallel spaced positions on' a mandrel, winding-tlieflne gridwire'spirally thereon andisubse'quently Welding the' convolutions' off the grid wire to thesupportingwir'es. These structures may also vary" in" siz'e, depending. upon the. size` or kind of vacuum-` tube of.l which their grids. are.- to be arpa'rt. Furthermore, the' gridsare ofaA delicate nature and must" be Handled? carefullyVV to avoid damage tothe gridwire.

An object ofthe inventionis to provide` a` material working apparatus wh'icl'i's simple instruc-f ture and highlyeicient'in cuttingk material, suchas grid structures. into given lengths. Y

With this and other objects in. view,.the invention comprises a'materialworking apparatusincludingv a material working element operable relative to` a given" patliv in wl'icl aY tunnel.l isdisposed, means" being associated 'withthe tunnelv to direct air'v under"`pre`ssure relativev theretoto: causeV movement; of the materialthrougnthe#- tunnel relativetotheelenientl Other objects andadvantages will. be apparent from the following detailed descriptiontwhen conr siderediin conjuncti'o'nuwitli the,accompanying.y drawings, wherein Fig. 1 isV atop plaview of.A tlieapp'aratus;

Fig.' 3 is a" frontV elevationalview of the ap paratus;

Fig. 4 is a"fr`agmentary sectionalY viewtakenv along the vline 41-4 offjFig.

Fig. 5"is an enlargedffragmentary frontfelevaw tional'view"oftleapparatus; 1

Fig. 6J is" a dvelcpment'f offthevalve. to-show the arrangement 'of' ports therein;

Fig'. 7' is a` fragfn'entarxtV perspective` view# of" one' of thefcutting elements and: its.v relationship` with the" materiali. and n l Fig; 'is a topplan view ofthefmaterial illus-fv trating the result `of vtlfe "apparatusfthereon.

Referringnv now" to the drawings,- attentionis irst directed to tle nfai'erfal. for wliicl'i the ap.- p'aratus was designedtdcuiiiito" g'ivenleiigths; In the presentfemb'odiment, one size of' the ma-V4 terial is illustrat'edlin Fig; 8."'an.d"may`be"dened` as a gridjstructure composed of parallel sup?- 2 the `convolutio'ns; or' gr'oups "of thereof, being welded to the structurexwhich is indicatedv generallyat I2, into` predetermined lengths' to provide av resulting! structure; wherein'one of thesupportingwires' is' longer" than. the other. To' accomplish-T this re'- sult", one ojf thewires, namely the upper" one, shovvninv Fig; 8; is" cut' at givenpoints'indcated at-r I4; whiletlie other supporting wire" por'- ti0`n`s cui;A therefrom, as indicated ait l5'. Tiller@-v fore,- thele'a'din'g ends' ofthe supporting wires I0" liein a' common" plane at' right angles'V to their axes, while ther rearrnost" ends" of the severed portions are* ontofL alignment with each' otherV due tothefact thatone" leg or supporting. WireA is Shorterthari th-tlri Referringnow 'to' the' apparatus, a. tatie" I8" is provided with" grooves IB, 20'A and' 2|? which are of differentA Widths and, if desired;l of' diiierent depths,` to receive grid structures or'material'of` differentl sizes.' '[IheA grooves' |29, 20 and 2| are parallel with 'each other'eiiten'ding the full length' of the' table andter'm'inating'adliacent tunnels 22,. 23" and" 24 respectively; The table |8 is rigidly se'cured to a? supporting bracket 25" the. latter serving'to 'support `a housing. 21 in which tubular members 28, 2`9"a`n`d"30 are disposed. The. tun nels 22, 23 and 24 which are iormedimtheir respective' tubularn'iembers' 2'8, 2'9 and` vfhave reduced' portions 32" to' provide passagewaysV 33I in the'lious'ing-Z'l completely surrounding the por tions o'fjeac'hof'the membersl Due to the contour of the exit' ends ofi the tubular members, 28; 29' antritt)x and the adjacent portions` o i-y the= liousing`21, the exhaust ends ofthe passageways- 33 are tapered, as-at 34, toward therenterline, extended, Of'each ofthe tunnels. Thehousing 40"rx 21 is"also"provided"with apassageway or portl communicating with each of the passageways3'3.\ These passageways are controlled through` the a'id of'a'.valv'e 31, which is tubular incross-sectionan'd'is provided with two sets of. portsor outletl passageways; One set, indicated aty 319,` isv disposedin a line parallelwith the axis of the valvev to open' communication between 4a supply line 4U"(Fg. 1) and all of the' passageways 33. Another set of ports, given reference numerals 4T, 42' and 43, condition the' valve 31' toopen,l

communication between the supply line 4U and" the. passageways 33'; singly. Thisy is brought'y about' through the adjustment of' thevalve 31,- which' isy rotatably disposed. in thev housing 2l.A4 an'dis adjustedftlrough the aid of a knurled head 44. The knurled head 44 is disposed upon, and closes one end of the valve 31, the other end of the valve being connected to the supply line 40, which is a flexible tube, to connect the valve with a supply of iluid such as air under pressure.

In the present embodiment, there are three cutting elements which include an upper element 41 and a pair of lower companion elements 48 and 49. The lower elements have'central beveled portions 59 resulting in cutting edges 5I leaving their extreme ends 52 projecting above the cutting edges to serve as guides for the upper cutting elements 41. The lower cutting elements, as illustrated in Fig. 2, are separated from each other by a spacer 54 and are mounted upon a supporting block or rack 55. The spacer 54 terminates short of the cutting edges 5l of the lower elements and supports a resilient member 55, the latter being formed of a suitableA p material such as soft rubber to cause any of the small parts severed from the material to be ejected from between the cutting elements.

The upper cutting element 41 has a V-shaped groove 51 formed in its lower surface to provide a pair of cutting edges 58 and 59 to cooperate respectively with the cutting edges l of the lower cutting elements 48 and 49. The cutting edge 59 continues the full length of the cutting element 41 while cutaway portions 69, 6I and 62 are providedat spaced portions, as illustrated in Fig. 5, to remove portions of the cutting edge 58 from the element leaving at these portions only the cutting edge 59. The cutting element 41 is. flxedly mounted, through the aid of a bracket 64, upon guide rods 65, the latter being disposed at Vspaced. portions and movably mounted in bushings 66, the latter being carried by the bracket 25. The supporting block 55, which may also be termed a rack due to the teeth 69 formed in the inner surface thereof, is mounted to slide axially on the guide rods B5. f

, An angular member having its lateral portion 1I fixed to the lower ends of the guide rods 651s provided with teeth 12 in a vertical rack portion 'i3 thereof as illustrated in Fig. 2. A pinion 15 is disposed between theracks or toothed portions 55 and 13 and is xedly mounted upon a vshaft 16, the latter being journalled in suitable bearings in projections 18 of the bracket 25. l

1 A lever 19 has one of its ends fixed to an outer end of-theshaft 16, the other end of the lever being connected, as at 99, to a treadle arm 8|. The treadle arm may be operated, or reciprocated, vin one direction through the aid of a foot treadle (not shown), and normally urged in the opposite direction through the aid of a spring 82.

A series of stops 85, 88 and 81 serve to limit the movement of the materials through theirl respective tunnels-22, 23 and 24 to control the length of the portions severed therefrom. The stops have threaded portions 89 disposed in threaded apertures of an arm 39 and heldin any desired adjusted positions through the aid of set screws 9|. Thev stops may therefore be moved toward and away from their respective tunnels to vary the length of the portions cut from the materials.

` Another adjusting means for the entire series of stops is incorporated in the mounting means for the arm 99 which means includes rod 92 upon which the arm is mounted, the rod being movablysupported in an apertured portion '94r of the brapket .25 and held in any desired p0- 4 sition therein relative to the cutting elements through the aid of a set screw 95.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed that the groove 2| with its associated tunnel 39 and stop 81 are to be employed and that the other feeding positions are to remain idle. The valve 31 is then rotated to bring the port 43 into registration with the port 38 for the tunnel 39rto open communication with the supply line 49, through the valve 31, the port 43, the adjacent port 35 and passageway 33 around the tubular member 39 escaping through the conical aperture 34 of this member. With the valve in the position described, air under pressure will continuously travel through the exhaust port 34 at this station, creating a suction forwardly through the tunnel 24 to draw the material or grid structure l2 therethrough at a, suliciently rapid speed to repeatedly advance the material during the time intervals when the cutting elements are in their open positions. v

Beginning with the cutting elements in the open positions shown in the drawings, the grid structure or material will be forced, through the creation of lthe suction in the tunnel 24, until the leading ends of the supporting wires I9 engage the stop 81. At this time, the operator may 5I of the lower elements 48 and 49.

cause operation of the cutting elements by pressing the treadle (not shown) moving the actuating or treadle rod 8l downwardly against the force of the spring 82 to move the lever 19, Fig. 2, clockwise to cause the rack 13 to move downwardly and the rack 55 to move upwardly. As a result of these movements, the cutting elements are moved simultaneously into cutting positions, the upper element moving downwardly and the lower elements moving upwardly so that they will meet the material or grid structure simultaneously and sever the desired length from the structure.

During the cutting operation, the cutaway portion 92 of the cutting element 41 will register with one of the supporting wires lil so that only a single cut will be made in that wire, while a portion equal in length to the width of the cutting element will be cut from the other supporting wire, all three of these cuts being made through the cooperation of the cutting edges 58 and 59 of the element 41 and the cutting edges v Furthermore,the gridI wire Il will be cut by one of the sets of cutting edges due to the fact that a portion of one of the spiral convolutions of the grid wire will traverse one set of cutting edges. In this manner, a complete length of the grid structure, as illustrated in Fig.- 8, will be severed from the main structure completing a grid with one supporting wire` shorter than the other.

After a length has` been cut from the grid structure, the constant suction in the tunnel through the travel ofl the air under pressure relative thereto, continuously urges the (grid structure forwardly, but this structure is held against forward movement until the cutting elements are moved toward their open positions. Therefore, when the operator releases the treadle to a'llow the spring 82 to pull the rod ill/upwardly and to rock the lever 19 counterclockwise, the action of the pinion 15 on the racks 55 and 13 will cause the cutting elements to, move into their open positions freeingthe material or grid structure,l

so that it may be advanced an additional length under the control of its stop 81 conditioning the I the apparatus. may? be; operated-3rapidly.`v and in repeated cyclesdue to `the constant for-- llurthermore,4

suction; inL the tunnel` created by the air: under4 pressure, travelling in. adirection relative to theA exitzend of theftunnel: to.. create the suction, the gridr stnicture.v will.l` tend. toi iioat-V in` the tunnel, eliminatingfwear and possible damage tothe grid structure, which might exist shouldthisstructure require .manual :movementzthroughtits `groove andv tunneli.

lfitisdesirable to use either the other feeding stations', theoperator may`v adjusti the Valve 3l to` open; either of the'portsdlI or 42. Furthermore, if-the operator shouldf desire to use all of: these stations, simultaneously, this: may be accom-` plished` by positioning the ports 39 in registration with the ports for the tunnels.

Although specific improvements of the invention have1 been shown and described, it; will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may b e. made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as dened by the: appended claims.

Whatisiclaimedisr 1. A material working apparatus comprising an operable material working element, means to operate the element relative to a plurality of paths leading toward the element, tunnels of various sizes for materials of various sizes forming parts of the paths, and means to cause air under pressure to be directed to any selected one of the tunnels to cause a material to be moved through the selected tunnel relative to the element.

2. A material Working apparatus comprising an operable material Working element, tunnels of various sizes for materials of various sizes forming parts of the paths, a valve adapted to be actuated and including ports for the tunnels, and means including the valve to cause air under pressure to be directed to any selected one of the tunnels to cause the material for the selected tunnels to be moved therethrough relative to the element.

3. A material working apparatus comprising an operable material working element, tunnels of various sizes for materials of various sizes forming parts of the paths, a valve adapted to be actuated and including ports for the tunnels, and means under the control of the valve to cause air under pressure to be directed to any one or all of the tunnels to cause the material therefor to be moved therethrough relative to the element.

4. A material Working apparatus comprising an operable material Working element, means to operate the element relative to a given path, a tunnel forming a part of the path, and means to direct air under pressure toward the exit end of the tunnel to create a suction in the tunnel to cause movement of the material therethrough and relative to the element, and a stop for the material disposed across the path.

5. A material Working apparatus comprising an operable material working element, means to operate the element relative to a plurality of paths leading toward the element, tunnels of various sizes for materials of various sizes forming parts of the paths, means to cause air under pressure to be directed to any selected one of the tunnels to cause a material to be moved through the selectedatunnel relatlvetoftheaelementrandfvarlahlezv 6.,. A. material: Working: apparatus comprising; means to; advance agridstructure longitudinally. in agiven path, tine;l grid. structure; includingL a..

spirally Wound. grid. wiref. and: spaced: supporting; wires therefor, a. cutting.Y elementzihaving spaced. cuttingsedges; and;a:.cutawayf portion removing a.Y portion.y of one.: of theicutting. edges, and: compan.-` ion cutting elements mounted to*y respectively' co1-A operatef with the cutting. edges oi the iirstizmen-A tioned element, and. means* to'` cause.. relative movement of the irst cutting:r element: and, the companionelementsto. cause the elementsztoA out: a portion of a. given length: from thestructureY and simultaneously therevvithi.outra part fromA one oi) the supporting.: Wires, of the portion;

7.. A 'materiali Working. apparatus' comprising. meansto advancea grid' structure longitudinally.' in a given path, thezgrid` structure including a. spirally Woundv gridi wire and:` spacedl supporting Wires therefor, a cutting element: having spaced cutting edges, onev extendingvv acrossthe path*v of.' both said supporting wires andatheA other acrossthe path ofi but one of.. the` supporting wires, means. tol move= the elementarelative' to the. path, and means cooperating! With. the element; to cut: a portionirom the structure and simultaneously cut an. end from. onezof the supportingiwires' off the portion.

8. A material Working apparatus comprising means to advance a grid structure longitudinally in a given path, the grid structure including a spirally Wound grid wire and spaced supporting Wires therefor, a )cutting element having spaced cutting edges, one extending across the path of both said supporting wires and the other across the path of but one of the supporting Wires, means to move the element relative to the path, means cooperating with the element to cut a portion from the structure and simultaneously cut an end from one of the supporting wires of the portion, and means variable to control the cutting of portions of varied lengths from the structure by the element and its cooperating means.

9. A material Working; apparatus comprising means to advance a grid structure longitudinally in a given path, the grid structure including a spirally wound grid wire and spaced supporting Wires therefor, a cutting element having spaced cutting edges, one extending across the path of both said supporting wires and the other across the path of but one of the supporting Wires, means to move the element relative to the path, a tunnel forming a part of the path, means to direct air under pressure relative to the tunnel to cause movement of the structure in the path, through the tunnel and relative to the element, andmeans cooperating with the element to cut a portion from the structure and simultaneously cut an end from one of the supporting wires of the portion.

10. A material working apparatus comprising means to intermittently advance a grid structure longitudinally in a given path, the grid structure including a spirally wound grid wire and spaced supporting wires therefor, cutting elements relatively movable across the said path and having certain cooperating cutting edges to cut portions of given lengths from the structure, and other cutting edges cooperating to cut given lengths 'from one of the supporting wires, and means to cause relative movement of the cutting elements. 11. A material working apparatus comprising means to intermittently advance a grid structure longitudinally in a given path, the gridstructure including a spirally Wound grid wire and spaced supporting wires therefor, cutting elements relatively movable across the said path and having certain cooperating cutting edges to cut portions of given lengths from the structure, and other cutting edges cooperating to cut given lengths from one of the supporting Wires, means to cause relative movement of the cutting elements, and means to cause variation in the longitudinal advancement of the structure to vary the lengths of the portions cut therefrom. f

12. A material Working apparatus comprising a material Working element, means to operateY y tive to the element.

13. A material working apparatus comprising a material working element, means to operate the element relative to a plurality of paths in which materials may be advanced, individual tunnels forming parts of their respective paths, a supply 30- line'for air under pressure, and a valve connected to the supply line and movable relative to the tunnels to vsinriultaneously connect the tunnels to the supply to direct the air under pressure into the selected tunnel short of the exit end thereof to cause movement of the material therein rela the supply line and movable relative tothe tun with the tunnels to vary the lengths of the portions of the materials fed to the element.

VINCENT G. JARMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesv are of record in the file of this patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number Walton et al. Oct. v30,1934 

